Abstract
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder that arises as result of liver dysfunction. HE encompasses a wide range of neurological and neuropsychiatric abnormalities ranging from subclinical changes to coma. It can be divided into two broad categories based on severity: overt HE (OHE) and covert HE (CHE). The exact mechanisms underlying HE are not fully elucidated. However, the use of animal models has contributed not only the understanding the pathophysiology of the disease but also the development of current available treatments. For instance, behavioral testing in preclinical studies of HE offers a robust framework for exploring the neurobehavioral aspects of this condition and helps not only in unraveling the underlying mechanisms of HE but also serve as essential tools in the development and assessment of novel therapeutic strategies. Hence, the use of neurobehavioral experiments has helped in the investigation of new drugs and plays an important role in preclinical studies. This chapter summarizes the commonly used behavioral tests in preclinical studies of HE with focus on rats and mice studies.